...Posts Sharing Examples of How the Bible is Still Relevant in Our Lives Today (Posted on Monday and Thursday mornings)

Monday, June 5, 2017

An Erroneous Quote from the Bible, Are We Backseat Christians?, and Can a Christian Be Two-Faced? posts

Since Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life, is now on line through individual posts, I am now putting several links together for each post. I found groupings of three posts worked well for anyone interested in using these for a Bible study group. Debbie Seiling

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy, Chapter 4, verses 3-4.

This passage has special significance because I first got interested in the Bible due to the erroneous quote from the Bible that really was from an Aesop’s Fable (god helps him who helps himself.) I did not capitalize the “g” on god because the god they are talking about is a Mythological god, not the One True God. I try to always capitalize the “g” on God out of respect for our Heavenly Father.

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James, Chapter 1, verses 26-27.

It’s easy to be a “Back-Seat Christian,” becoming complacent in our relationship with God. In doing so, we are letting everyone else take care of God’s work while we focus on ourselves. God says He wants us to take an active role as Christians. He wants us to visit the fatherless, those grieving and we are not to get caught up in worldly values.

With so many single parent families, visiting the fatherless could be a relatively easy thing to do. If we each took the time to touch the life of one child, we could make a major difference. Some might think that they don’t have the time, but you could include neighbor kids in your game of basketball with your child. Family board games are nice to invite other kids to play. Even if you don’t have children of your own, you can take a child you know with you to the library. You can invite them over to bake or BBQ. Even doing routine chores seem special when you’ve invited a child to help you. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and helps them feel like they are contributing. When you take your child to a scouting, church or school activity; include a child who wouldn’t have been able to attend otherwise.

Going to a school once a week for 30 minutes, can positively impact the life of a child. (When I was a teacher in a low income school, I tried to get volunteers to come and read for 30 minutes a week with my students who had behavior problems. Within days, I would notice a positive change in the behavior choices that these children made. Interestingly, I wasn’t having the volunteer focus on teaching the child to read or anything else academic. The vast majority of these kids are quite capable of doing academic tasks. They just have so many other things going on in their lives that it’s often difficult for them to focus on academics. The time with the volunteers was really meant to be a positive time for the adult and the child to spend together. Isn’t it amazing that 30 minutes of contact with a child each week could make such a difference?)

I’m not suggesting that everyone should volunteer to spend time with kids who have behavior problems, although that’s not a bad idea. I’m using this as an example. If we each took the time to be with a child for 30 minutes a week, just think of the positive impact we could have on the children of our country. It has the added benefit of making us positive role models of our Christian values to our own children.

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and there with curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the Truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. James, Chapter 3, verses 8-18.

I think God is asking us if a Christian can truly be two-faced. You wouldn’t consider someone a true friend, who is nice to your face but works against you, behind your back.

I think God is telling us through this passage that we can’t truly be both. Can we truly be a Christian one day a week, but participate in a worldly life with no attempt to change the rest of the week? I think God tells us that if we truly profess to be a Christian, we will be examples of our faith seven days a week instead of just one.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.

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Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life

bible-passages.blogspot.com

About the Author:

Having read the Bible from cover to cover 16+ times, I felt led to write Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life to show that the Bible is still significant in our lives today. Since these posts are examples of how I apply the Bible to my daily life, they don't necessarily represent the whole meaning of the Bible passages. Will you relate to these Bible passages in the same ways that I have? My desire is that through these examples, you will learn to relate to the Bible in a way that is personally significant to you!

Book ISBN Numbers

PB: 9781418412180
HB: 9781418412173
eB: 9781418412197

Previous Cover and Pen Name

Links to Other Blogs I Felt Led to Create:

Types of Christians Posts Link

Bible Study: Relating the Bible to YOUR Life!

Easy Bible Study with Examples to Make Bible Connections to Self,Text, World, and Media

Read the Book for Free:

Read Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life for Free! Click on the Archive on 2015 and when you read the posts from 8/3/15 through 9/22/16 , you will have read the complete book. Feel free to share this info with others. P.S. It doesn't really matter if you read the posts out of sequence (top down). Enjoy! Debra Seiling

Free2ShareVBS Link

Free VBS Curriculum

A Christian Caregiver Blog

Trying to Maintain a Focus on Christ's Will While Providing Care for a Parent

Review by Rev. Gordon

Debra Seiling's "Bible Passages" is an interesting book to read. Written in narrative form after reading the Bible multiple times, I did not find Debra's book to be "preachy" or holier-than-thou". While I do not believe Debra's book was intended to be-or will be-used as a textbook, it does contain multiple revelations of one person's assessment and truths with regard to what impact God's Word has had on her life in the past, at present, and as she expects it will in the future. Is the Bible relevant to us in today's world? What Debra Seiling has written in her book, the answer to that question is a resounding: "YES!"

Lilybean's Review

I have been using this book a little differently than just as a reading book. As a daily devotional or study book, it is wonderful. All you have to do is open it up to any page, read the passage and the short narrative and begin your personal study, meditation or group discussion. Because it is written in plain English, it would be perfect for a youth group or high school group. Don't let the lack of sections and headers, or the simple layout dissuade you. It would be a great book to get discussions going for an ice breaker or as a whole study session. Let the author comment, let the Spirit speak to you, and you will find value in this book.

Author's Disclosure

Readers should know that any profits I get from the sale of the book: Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life are donated to a charity of my choice, which varies from time to time. I do not receive any money or compensation from any business and any charity links on my blogs link directly to the charity. I don't feel right getting money for doing what God has led me to do for Him. Debbie